US Targets African Countries Subject to Visa Bonds

 The U.S. Department of State updated its website on 6 January 2026 listing those "Countries Subject to Visa Bonds."  

Axios published on 6 January 2026 an article titled "Trump Adds 25 Countries to Costly U.S. Visa Bond Policy" by Julianna Bragg.  

The Trump administration just added 25 countries to the State Department's list of nations whose citizens may be required to post bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, determined at the time of the visa interview, to enter the United States.  The newly added nations' bond requirements will take effect on 21 January.  

Approved visa holders will only be allowed to enter the United States through one of three airports: Boston Logan International, John F. Kennedy International, and Washington Dulles International.  

The addition of the 25 countries subject to visa bonds brings the total to 38 now required to post bonds.  African countries account for 24 of the 38 countries.  Most of them are on the list because of a history of visa overstays.  

The 24 African countries are: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.  

China-Africa Syllabus for Graduate Course at George Washington University

 This is a syllabus for a course titled "Rising China in Africa" taught in the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University in the fall of 2023.  The text for the course is China's Relations with Africa: A New Era of Strategic Engagement just published by Columbia University press.  Numerous additional readings supplement the book. 

China's Relations with Africa: A New Era of Strategic Engagement

 China's Relations with Africa: A New Era of Strategic Engagement has been published by Columbia University Press (CUP) and will be widely available online and in bookstores as of 1 August.  CUP kindly made an initial paperback and eBook edition available so that it is affordable.  Preorder guidelines are explained in the link above.  

Publication brings to an end a five-year project that resulted in considerable research in Africa and China.  Due to the fast changing nature of the China-Africa relationship, the project resulted in numerous rewrites and constant updating.  It covers all countries in Africa, including North Africa.  The book focuses on the political, security, and strategic relationship.   

Sudans Studies Association Annual Conference

The Sudans Studies Association will hold its 37th annual conference at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, on 11-13 May, 2018. The theme is "The Conflicts in the Sudans: Regional Contexts and Beyond."